262 THE BEWICK WREN. 



rapidly that the male bird often has the care of two broods while his mate is 

 occupied with the third. The breeding season is quite variable. Many first 

 broods are raised in March ; some in February. Professor Butler records an 

 instance in which fresh eggs were found on the first day of 'December, at 

 Brookville, Indiana. 



The species is on the increase, notably in the northern part of the state. 

 It first made its appearance in Lorain County in 1899, and has been found 

 there regularly since. In the summer of 1901 the bird was found by Professor 

 Jones and myself on Isle St. George and on East Sister Island, the latter in 

 Canadian territory. The geographical movement of this species is a typical 

 example of that "northward trend," to which Professor Jones has so ably 

 called attention in his recent Catalog of the Birds of Ohio. 



No. 114. 

 BEWICK WREN. 



A. O. U. No. 719. Thryomanes bewickii (Aud.). 



Description. — Adults: Above, dark olive-brown, or rufous-brown with an 

 olive tinge ; the rump with downy, concealed, white spots ; wings showing at least 

 traces of dusky barring, — sometimes complete on tertials ; tail blackish on con- 

 cealed portions, distinctly and finely barred with blackish on exposed portions; 

 the outer pairs of feathers white-tipped and showing white barring, incipient or 

 complete on terminal third; a narrow white superciliary stripe, and an indistinct 

 dark stripe through eye; under parts grayish white, dark tinged on sides and 

 flanks; under tail-coverts heavily barred with dusky; bill dark brown above, 

 lighter below; culmen slightly decurved. Length 5.00-5.50 (127.-139.7) ; wing 

 2.08 (52.8) ; tail 2.01 (51. i) ; bill .53 (i3-S)- 



Recognition Marks. — \yarbler size; known from House Wren by supercil- 

 iary stripe, and whiter under parts, mostly unbarred ; more deliberate in its move- 

 ments. 



Nest, anywhere in holes or crannies about buildings, posts, brush-heaps, etc. ; 

 of twigs, lined with grasses and miscellaneous soft materials ; not distinguishable 

 from those of T. aedon. Bggs, 4-6, sometimes 7, white, speckled — usually not so 

 heavily as in T. aedon — with cinnamon- or rufous-brown, and purplish, uniform- 

 ly, or chiefly in wreath near larger end. Average size, .66 x .48 ( 16.8 x 12.2) . 



General Range. — Eastern United States, west to the eastern border of the 

 Plains and eastern Texas; rare east of the Alleghanies north of Maryland and 

 Delaware; north irregularly in the Mississippi Valley to southern Minnesota. 

 Migratory only along the northern border of its range. 



Range in Ohio. — Formerly unknown in the state, it has recently made its 

 appearance, and is on the increase in some parts of southern and central Ohio, — 

 notably in the Valley of the Scioto. 



